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GPs will be given extra cash to help identify overseas patients as part of a crackdown on “health tourism”.

Family doctors will be required to establish whether or not patients are eligible for free care, and to pass details to hospitals before any treatment is booked, under changes to the GP contract.

The British Medical Association has repeatedly insisted that doctors should not be treated as “border guards”.

Last night the union said new deal agreed with the Government - which asks patients to “self-declare” their residency status - meant GPs would avoid such duties.

Meanwhile, GP practices will be paid an extra £5m annually, to support “any workload implications” of the requirement to pass information on, the union said.

On Monday the Health Secretary announced that every hospital will have to charge overseas patients “upfront” unless they can prove they are eligible for non-urgent care. The law will be changed from April.

Today Mr Hunt said changes to the contracts for family doctors recognised the fact that GPs are a “gateway” to to other health services.

"We've made it clear that overseas visitors are welcome to use our NHS - but only if they make a fair and proportionate contribution to it, just as the British taxpayer does,” Mr Hunt said.

"These changes are about making sure the primary care system plays a full and proper role in ensuring any appropriate costs are identified and recovered."

Demand on emergency services is risingCredit:
Andrew Fox

The changes will also mean that GPs will lose funding if they continue to regularly close during office hours.

Theresa May had already signalled such a move, amid warnings that poor access to GPs is fuelling pressures on Accident & Emergency departments.

Last month a report by the National Audit Office found that almost half of GP practices are not open full time - with one in five regularly closing by 3pm.

Yet the vast majority of GPs are claiming extra funds for “extended access” - with around £15,000 paid out per practice in 2015/16.

Under the new terms, family doctors will lose access to such funding, unless they also provide a full service on week days.

The deal will also see a pay uplift of 1 per cent for GPs.

MPs said that practices needed to "get the basics right"Credit:
PA

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA GP committee chairman, said: “I am pleased to say we have reached an agreement which we believe offers important and significant improvements to the contract.

“Claiming back funding from overseas countries for hospital services when their citizens use the NHS is nothing new and has been common practice for many years. We have ensured that the minor changes this year will allow overseas patients who hold an EHIC card or S1 form to self-declare at registration so that reception staff do not become border guards, and that practices are reimbursed for associated administration.

“But claiming back funding from overseas countries for hospital services will generate relatively small amounts of extra money and will not address the incredible funding pressure on GP services.”

As the health system extends practice hours across the country, it must not lose sight of the need to get the basics rightMeg Hillier, chairman the Committee of Public Accounts